Safety mechanism for centrifugal extractors.



W. BARTHOLOIVIEW.

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACIORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 26. I942.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

jwrfi wlam W. BARIHOLOIVIEW.

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTORS.-

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, I912.

Patented Aug. 28,1911

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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W, BARTHOLOMEW.

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26,1912.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, LIMITED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

Application filed March 26, 1912. Serial No. 686,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM BARTHOLO- new, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Mechanisms for Centrifugal Extractors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to laundry machinery, and more particularly to centrifugal extractors.

In order that the rapidly revolving basket of a centrifugal extractor may be prevented from injuring the operator, interlocking or connecting mechanism between the power controller and the extractor cover have been provided, which either automatically cut oil the driving power when the cover is opened, or prevent the opening of the cover until after the controller has been actuated to discontinue the driving power. Such devices are, however, open to the serious objecti on that they afford no protection while the basket continues to revolve by momentum after the driving power has been disconnectod, as the cover may then be raised and afford an opportunity for the operator to carelessly place his or her hands in the extractor with the resulting danger of injury.

The primary object of my invention is to pro vide a centrifugal extractor in which the cover will be automatically securely locked in closed position until the basket has ceased to revolve.

A further object of my invention is to provide a centrifugal extractor, in which the driving power cannot be applied to rotate the basket until the cover is closed, and in which the cover will be automatically locked in closed position as long as the basket continues to revolve.

A still further object of my invention is to provide the cover of a centrifugal extractor with a lock, which will be automatically actuated when the power is applied to securely retain the cover in closed position, and which will be automatically held in such locked position while the basket continues to revolve after the power has been disconnected.

My invention will be more fully disclosed hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a centrifugal extractor embodying my im provements Fig. 2, a side elevational view;

Fig. 3, an enlarged central section through the casing and inclosed basket;

Fig. 4:, a plan View of the cover lock and the adjacent portions of the cover and cas- Fig. 5, a sectional View on line 5 5, Fig. 3;

Fig. 6, an enlarged front view of the cover lock and adjacent portions of the cover and easing;

Fig. 7 a side elevational View of the power shaft and belt; and

Fig. 8, an elevational view, looking from the right in Fig. 7.

The same reference characters are used in the several figures of the drawings to designate the same parts.

A indicates the casing, or curb, of the extractor which is provided with a supporting base B having a platform Z2 at the bottom thereof, which may be secured to the floor. G designates the perforated basket within the casing A which is adapted to receive the clothes from which the water is to be extracted. D designates a shaft which is suitably connected to the basket G to rotate the same. (Z indicates a pulley fixed upon the shaft D and around which passes a belt E. The belt E passes around an idler pulley e and thence around a large pulley F fixed upon a shaft G.

A power shaft G is journaled in bearings supported by brackets H and H depending over an overhead support.

Gr indicates a pulley fixed upon the power shaft G, while G designates a pulley loosely mounted upon the power shaft G. J inclicates a power belt which is adapted to be shifted from the loose pulley or tight pulley, or vice versa, by suitable belt shifting means. I have shown in the drawings a belt shifting means comprising the rod K which is mounted to reciprocate in brackets h and b projecting from the brackets H and H respectively. L designates a lever for reciprocating the rod K to which it is pivotally connected at g. The upper end of the lever L is fulcrumed at Z and upon a bracket secured to the overhead support.

m and m designate fingers fixed to the rod K projecting on opposite sides of the belt J to shift the same when the rod K is reciprocated.

N designates a circular plate surrounding the opening through the top of the casing A which is provided with a curved water guard at. O designates a cover which is pivoted by hinges 0 to the plate N, and when closed prevents access to the interior of the casing and the basket inclosed therein,

P designates a bracket projecting upwardly from the edge of the cover 0 at a point adjacent its pivotal support upon the plate N. Pivotally connected to the bracket P is a link 79 which extends through an opening in the water guard n and is pivotally connected at its other end to one arm of crank lever Q. The bell crank lever is fulcrumed upon a bracket Q fixed to the casing A, and is pivotally connected to a rod R which extends upwardly to thebracket it upon whichit is guided The upper end of the rod R is provided with a lateral projecting portion 9* which is adapted to move into and out of the path of the rod K.

S designates a hasp pivotally connected by a hinge s to the cover 0. A spring S is secured to the cover 0 and bears against the hasp S so as to oscillate the same downwardly into contact with the outer surface of the casing A. A lug 8 projects from the hasp S to the rear of the'hinge s to limit the upward movement of the hasp about its hinge, and thereby protect the spring S from being broken. hasp is provided with an eye 8 which projects through an aperture in the wall of the casing A when the cover 0 is closed; T designates a rod supported uponthe inner surface of the casing A in a substantially vertical position, but slightly inclined from the vertical, as shown in Fig. T is secured to the inner surface of the casing and is provided with inwardly projecting ears at its top and bottom, through the upper one of which the rod T passes, and upon the lower one of which the lower end of the rod T is supported so as to freely oscillate. Secured to the upper end of the rod T is a latch T having a hooked upper end 25 adapted to pass through the eye 8 of the hasp S when the cover is closed. Secured to the rod T adjacent its lower end is a wing or vane U, the latter being provided with a collar which surrounds and is rigidly secured to the portion of the rod T adjacentits lower end. The vane U extends between The lower end of the A bracket one arm of a bell crank lever l/V fulcrumed upon a bracket to fixed to the casing A. The opposite arm of the bell crank lever .V is pivotally connected to a rod X, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to, one arm of a bell crank lever Y fulcrumed upon a bracket 3 projecting from the bracket h, 'lheopposite arm'of the bell crank lever Y is pivotally connected to the reciprocating rod K of the belt shifting mechanism.

'The operation of the embodiment of my improved centrifugal extractor above described and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, is as follows: After the clothes from which the water is to be extracted have been placed in the basket C, the cover 0 is closed, thereby oscillating the bell crank lever Q by means of the link 29 which connects the same with the bracket P 011 the cover. This oscillation of the bell crank lever reciprocates upwardly the rod R and lifts the projection ron the upper end thereof above the path of the rod K. The

lever L is then swung toward the left,

thereby shifting the belt J from the loose pulley G to the tight pulley G. The shaft G is consequently driven, which, through the belt E, rotates the spindle D and with it the basket C.

When the cover 0 is closed, the spring S forces the eye 8 of the hasp S through I the underlying opening in the casing A in position to be engaged by the hooked upper end 25 of the l'atchT The movement of the rod K of the belt shifting mechanism oscillates the bell crank lever Y and elevates the rod X, thereby oscillating the bell crank lever W and moving the curved rod V against the lug t on the latch T The latch is consequently oscillated so that the hook t at its upper end passes through the eye s on the hasp and positively locks the cover in closed position upon the casing. The oscillation of the latch T also oscillates the rod T to which it is connected, which in turn swings the vane U toward the center of the casing until it engages the stop pin 10. The rotation of the basket C creates a circular current of air in the direction in which the basket rotates, and as the vane U is located in the path of such current of air, it is automatically held thereby against the stop pin u as long as the basket continues to rotate. The disconnection of the driving power from the basket consequently does not affect the locked condition of the cover which cannot be lifted as long as the basket continues to rotate by momentum.

WVhen it is desired to discontinue the rotation of the basket, the lever L is swung toward the right, thereby reciprocating the rod K and shifting the power belt from the tight to the loose pulley. This movement of the rod K removes the end thereof from the path of the projection r on the upper end of the rod R, so that the cover 0 may then be 'aised, it being understood that prior to such shifting of the rod K the end thereof extended into the path of the projection r, and thereby prevented the downward movement of the rod R and consequently prevented the raising of the cover 0.

The shifting of the rod K toward the right oscillates the bell crank lever Y and reciprocates the rod X, so as to oscillate the bell crank lever W and reciprocate the curved rod V away from the lug t on the latch T The latch nevertheless remains in locked engagement with the hasp, because of the action on the vane U of the current of air generated during the continued rotation of the basket. \Vhen the rotation of the basket ceases and the current of air is thereby discontinued, the vane U automatically swings toward the right in Fig. 6, owing to the slight inclination of the rod '1 from the vertical. The latch T is consequently disei'igaged from the eye of the hasp so that the hasp may be swung outwardly from engagement with the casing and the cover lifted. The lifting of the cover draws the rod R downwardly and locates the projection r thereon in the path of the rod K, thereby preventing the shifting of the belt to the tight pulley.

From the above description, it will be ob served that I have invented improvements in centrifugal extractors by means of which their operation is rendered at all times entirely safe, as the cover is positively locked in closed position, not only during the connection of the driving power with the basket, but during the rotation of the basket by momentum after the discontinuance of the application of power to the basket. It will be further observed that it is impossible for the operator to apply driving power to the basket until the cover has first been closed, and that immediately upon the connection of the driving means with the basket, the cover will be positively locked closed, and will be automatically held in its locked closed position after the disconnection of the driving means from the basket until the rotation of the basket ceases. The hands of the operator cannot, therefore, be inserted in the extractor while the basket is in motion.

I do not in this application intend to claim generically the invention disclosed in common in this application and in my copendin'g application, filed on March 26, 1912, Serial No. 686,404, as I have claimed in said copending application the generic invention embodied in the specific centrifugal extractor disclosed therein as well as the specific centrifugal extractor disclosed in this application, but in my present application, I desire to claim the specific embodiment of my said generic invention herein illustrated and described. I nevertheless do not wish to be understood as limiting my present invention to the details of construction herein disclosed, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit of my invention, and while in the annexed claims my invention is defined as relating to centrifugal extractors, yet I do not wish to be thereby understood as excluding the use of my invention as defined by the claims for any analogous purposes for which it may be adapted.

I claim:

1. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing, of a cover for said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, means controlling the application of power to said basket, an oscillatory rod slightly inclined from the vertical supported upon said casing, a latch operatively connected to said rod for locking the cover closed, and means for automatically oscillating said rod controlled by the rotation of said basket, whereby said latch will be automati cally disengaged from said. cover by gravity when the basket is not rotating and will be automatically engaged with said cover during the rotation of said basket.

In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing, of a cover for said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, means controlling the application of power to said basket, a substantially vertical oscillatory rod supported upon said casing, a latch operatively connected to the upper end of said rod and having a substantially horizontal path of movement for locking said cover closed, a horizontally disposed vane connected to the lower end of said rod for oscillating the same and located below the bottom of the basket in the path of the current of air created by the-rotation of said basket.

3. In a centrifugal extractor, the combi- I nation with a casing, of a cover for said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, means controlling the application of power to said basket, a rod slightly inclined from the vertical supported upon said casing, a latch operatively connected to said rod for locking said cover closed, a vane connected to said rod and located in the path of the air current created by the rotation of said has ket, whereby said latch will be automatically disengaged from said cover by gravity when the basket is not rotating and willbe automatically engaged with said cover during the rotation of said basket.

4. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing, 01 a cover for said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, means controlling the application of power to said basket, a rod slightly inclined from the vertical supported upon said casing, a horizontally disposed vane located below the bottom of said basket and operatively connected to oscillate said rod, and a latch for said cover connected to said rod, whereby said latch will be oscillated to engage said latch with the cover during the rotation of said basket and will be automatically oscillated by gravity to disengage said latch from said cover when said basket is not in rotation.

5. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing, of a cover for said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, means controlling the application of power to said basket, means for locking said cover in closed'position, a vane operatively connected to said locking means and located beneath said basket in the path of the air current created. by the rotation. thereof, and means actuated by said controlling means when power is applied to said basket to operate said lock to retain the cover closed.

6. In a centrifugal extractor, the combi nation with a casing, of a cover for said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, means controlling the application of power to said basket, an oscillatory rod slightly in clined from the vertical supported upon said casing, a latch operatively connected to said rod for locking the cover closed, means for automatically oscillating said rod controlled by the rotation of said basket, and means actuated by said controlling means when power is applied to said basket to oscillate said rod to lock the cover closed.

7. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing, of a movable cover cooperating with said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, an overhead belt shitting device for controlling the application of power to said basket, a lock for said cover, means actuated by said belt shifting device for operating said lock to retain the cover in closed position when the belt engages the tight pulley, and means controlled by the rotation of said basket for operating said lock to retain the cover closed until the basket ceases to rotate.

8. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing, of a movable cover cooperating with said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, an overhead belt shifting device for controlling the application or power to said basket, interlocking means connecting said cover and belt shifting device for preventing the shifting of the belt to the tight pulley when the cover is open and for preventing the opening of said cover when the belt engages with the'tight pulley, a lock for said basket, means actuated by said belt shifting device foroperating said lock to retain the cover closed when the belt engages the tight pulley, and means controlled by the rotation of said basket for op erating said lock to retain the cover closed until the basket ceases to rotate. V

9. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing, of a cover for said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, means controlling the application of power to said basket, a substantially vertical oscillatory rod supported upon said casing, a latch operatively connected to said rod for locking said cover closed, a horizontally disposed vane connected to said rod for oscillating the same and located below the bottom of the basket in the path of the current of air created by the rotation of said basket, and means actuated by said controlling means when power is applied to said basket to oscillate said rod to lock the cover closed.

10. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a casing, of a cover for said casing, a rotary basket within said casing, means controlling the application of power to said basket, a slightly inclined vertical rod supported upon said casing, a latch operatively connected to said rod for locking said cover closed, a vane connected to said rod and located in the path of the air current created by the rotation of said basket, and a reciprocating rod actuated by said controlling means when power is applied to said basket to engage said vertical rod and oscillate the same to lock the cover closed.

In testimony whereof, 'I have subscribed my name.

WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEV. lVitnesses Gno. L. WILKINSON,

I A. L. WAL'roN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

